Aussie Scientists Seek Cancer Cure In Spider Venom

4/9/2012 4:16 AM ET

Australian scientists are studying the potential of spider venom with the hope of using it to cure breast cancer.

Prof. Norelle Daly of the James Cook University (JCU) says that spider venom could hold great potential to cure the disease. "This is early days and we're doing preliminary research that we hope will go somewhere," Australian media quoted her as saying on Monday.

A reputed biochemist, Daly who joined the JCU last month has received a $200,000 research grant from the National Breast Cancer Foundation to analyze whether the venom of tarantulas and funnel web spiders can kill breast cancer cells. She will test her theory in the lab by isolating the hundreds of molecules in spider venom and exposing them to cancer cells to see how they react.

Daly hopes the complex mix of molecules in the venom could offer a solution to breast cancer treatment. "What we would hope to find is a molecule that looks promising in killing the cells," she said.

Daly is also researching on the gac, a spiky, red Southeast Asian fruit, which has shown promising results in the lab in fighting cancer, the reports said.